Tree Lessons
by Gabbeh
Summary: -SASUSAKU- He finally admitted that he loved her, and actually did something so out of character he was sure she would be thrilled. Well, he thought wrong. "Why the hell did you engrave our names on my favorite tree you bastard!"


**TREE LESSONS**

**By: Gabbeh**

-

-

Uchiha Sasuke didn't like it when he didn't know what to do.

No, scratch that. He _despised_ it.

That's why he was going to Naruto for advice.

Yes, that blonde idiot who absolutely sucks at shutting his big mouth.

But, given the circumstances, Naruto was the one with a girlfriend.

While he didn't.

But that was going to change.

-

"Ha! I knew it!" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at him. "It's about time! You're stupid for denying your feelings for Saku-"

"Naruto."

"-ra-chan and besides, you guys have been obviously flirting for- "

"Naruto."

"-two years! It's about time you sucked up your manly, oversized ego!"

"Dobe."

"And you're what? 19? You know, just saying…everyone's been wondering when the Uchiha babies-"

"..."

"-will start to pop out and-"

"Shut up and just help me think of what to do." Sasuke interrupted the blonde's loud voice and grit his teeth. Naruto was getting on his nerves. And his voice annoyed the hell out of him. Naruto just shrugged and gave him a very wide grin. "Just tell her. What's so hard about that?"

"It's not that simple dobe. I still remember when Neji did that to Tenten. She didn't mind him until he bought her all the weapons that practically made her drool. " He could still remember the Hyuuga's face. He actually looked like he was begging.

And Uchihas do not beg. Ever.

Even for a certain pink-haired girl that made him want to throw his resolve out the window.

"So? That's Tenten, not Sakura." Naruto stated as he took another mouthful of Ramen. Sasuke looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Sakura was with Tenten when Neji told her. She practically dragged Tenten away from the white-eyed freak after shouting how incredibly lame he was."

Naruto sweatdropped. "You have a good point there." He pursed his lips and put his pointed finger on his chin. "Wait…I'm thinking…" After a while, he slowly started eating Ramen again while looking so deep in thought.

About twenty minutes passed and Naruto finished his nth bowl of Ramen. "Ahhh, that tasted good," he sighed and patted his stomach. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. Damn how long did the dobe have to think?

"Have you thought of anything yet?" He asked impatiently, drumming his fingers on top of the table. Naruto looked at him curiously like he was confused. Sasuke grit his teeth. Don't tell me-

"What are we talking about again?"

* * *

If Sasuke was annoyed this morning, then he was definitely, and _incredibly _pissed right now. He wasted his time asking the dobe for advice. And as of right now, he wasted half a day thinking and coming up with absolutely _nothing._

He sighed in exasperation and walked even faster to reach the training grounds. If there was one place he could release all his pent up anger, it was there. And he needed to. Badly.

But then, something caught his eye, and he smirked. If Naruto couldn't give him advice, then maybe someone else can.

* * *

"Ha! I knew it!" Ino pointed an accusing finger at him. "I knew you'd finally crack-"

"Ino."

"-and admit that you like her because it's so darn-"

"Ino."

"-obvious that you guys like each other but you just can't admit it and let go of your-"

"Ino."

"-stupid ego! I mean you guys flirt all the time now and don't think we don't-"

"Hn."

"-see it because it's so true! Like you have this potential but you're not doing anything about-"

"…"

"-it…unless you guys are doing it behind our backs, which is definitely not proper but-"

"Shut up and just help me think of what to do." Sasuke interrupted the blonde's loud voice and grit his teeth. Ino was getting on his nerves. And her voice annoyed the hell out of him.

Why did this remind him of something that happened earlier today?

This blonde better have some good advice.

* * *

She did have ideas.

Yeah. Incredibly ambitious ideas that were practically inhumanly impossible.

Or just plain corny.

And so annoyingly sweet that his head hurt just thinking about it.

And then, an idea popped into his mind and he smirked. If he wasn't Sasuke, he would have actually clapped…or given himself a pat on the back. Whatever. The point is, he thought of something pretty darn good.

Flowers. With a note. He could just give her flowers, make her read the note, say some things and be done with it.

Brilliant.

Ino looked at his face. His smirk was freaking her out. "What's with you?" she asked him. So he told her of his brilliant plan.

Except she didn't think it was brilliant at all.

"What? That's so lame! Her fanboys give her flowers all the time! It has to be something that would make a lasting impression. " She shouted and resumed thinking, all the while ignoring the heated glares that he gave her.

Then she suddenly stood up from her seat and he could practically see the light bulb on her head. She smirked at him.

"I have the most awesome idea ever."

* * *

"Are you sure this would work?"

Because frankly, he was doubting her romantic skills. (Not that he was very competent on his own.) This has got to be the most childish way anyone could ever think of. Not to mention cliché.

"Positive. Its so sweet, she'll love it!" Ino nodded. "Besides, I know this is her favorite tree and what you'll do will practically last a very long time, if not forever…She'll be totally thrilled and just melt with happiness."

Sasuke snorted. Well, this better work then. "Done," he stated, looking at what he created.

S&S…with a heart around it.

He swore this is the first time he ever drew (or in this case, carved) a heart.

This. Is. Too. Damn. Cheesy.

"This is stupid. I should just give her the flowers with the note."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and hold these," she said as she shoved a bouquet in his arms. "Okay now remember – let her see the tree first, give her the bouquet and tell her. You can add your little note thing. Just make sure she sees it okay?"

Sasuke gave her a calculating look and nodded. "Fine. This better work Yamanaka." She smirked at him.

"Oh it will. You'll see."

* * *

"Teme! Finally thought of something?"

Naruto looked at him expectantly and Sasuke smirked, telling him the plan. The blonde boy grinned. "Haha! I never thought you had it in you teme!" He shouted and slapped his friend's back.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, but Naruto seemed oblivious and continued talking, "Anyway, since I'm such a nice friend, I'll help you." He said proudly. Sasuke wasn't impressed though. "And how will you do that?"

"Easy! I'll just convince her to go with me to Ichiraku. The tree's on the way there so we pass by, you talk and BOOM! Uchiha kids around the place!"

Sasuke grit his teeth at Naruto's hyperactive voice. "I'm asking her to be my girlfriend, dobe. Not to marry me." Naruto just waved a hand in front of the raven-haired boy's face. "Whatever. That's practically the same thing."

Sasuke sweatdropped and thanked the gods he didn't get advice from this blonde.

Then Naruto remembered something.

Something very, very important.

A revelation that could save Sasuke's ass in the near future.

"Wait…I think it's a bad idea." He said and Sasuke just gave him an annoyed look. "What?" he said demandingly. Naruto gulped. "Well, Sakura-chan hates it when-"

But he was stopped by Sasuke's voice. "Whatever dobe. I'm not going to get any more advice from you." When did he ever, anyway?

"But-"

"Just hurry up and get her dobe."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the impatience of his friend.

"Fine. Fine. Just don't blame me later teme."

_And good luck. Because you're going to need it._

_A lot of it._

-

"_Sakura-chan, why are you always here anyway?" Naruto asked the pink-haired girl. She just smiled and continued looking up at the cherry blossom tree as if it was magical. "It's my favorite tree." She simply said._

"_Ohhh…but why?" he asked curiously. She laughed and ruffled his hair. "It's also my mom's favorite tree. It's where my dad proposed to her and it's also what inspired them to give me my name."_

_Then a strange idea came into his head._

"_What if someone cuts it or something?"_

_Sakura glared at nothing in particular. "If someone even dares to mark it, I'll make sure that person gets a cracked skull and broken ribs. And I'll probably heal them and do it again."_

_She had an evil smile that made the hairs on Naruto's neck stand. He chuckled nervously._

"_I'll keep that in mind."_

_He looked at her scary face and wished he hadn't. She always freaked him out when she was angry. _

He certainly didn't want to face _that._

Absolutely not.

And he didn't want Sasuke too, either.

Except the Uchiha needed to be taught a lesson.

And Naruto was positive that Sakura would be the best teacher.

* * *

"Naruto are you okay? You've been acting weird." Sakura asked her friend while they were walking to Ichiraku. "Of course I'm fine!" He replied happily, but something told her that he was hiding something.

She looked at him suspiciously. "Yeah right. I know something's wrong and you better tell me-"

Then she noticed something out of place. And vaguely, she saw Naruto inch away from her but Sakura let it go. The scene in front of her caught her attention. She thought she just saw Sasuke standing beside her favorite tree.

And she could swear that's a bouquet behind his back – she would be stupid not to figure that out. It was so big he couldn't hide it behind his well-built frame. She swore he looked nervous as hell and that only happened – well, never.

She considered rubbing her eyes. Was what she was seeing actually for real?

Then as she walked nearer, she saw _it._

She stiffened.

Her eyes widened.

Her jaw dropped.

_No way. No fucking way._

_No. no. no. no!_

Then in an instant after…her stance changed.

Her eyes narrowed.

She grit her teeth.

She clenched her fists.

And practically ran to where he was standing.

Definitely not the reaction Sasuke was waiting for.

Lesson number one: Don't be too overconfident.

* * *

"Why the hell did you engrave our names on my favorite tree you bastard!" She shouted so loud, his eyes hurt.

"…"

"What did you think you were doing? You practically destroyed it!" Her arms were making all these motions and she actually stomped her foot on the ground. If the situation wasn't this serious, he would have smirked at her childish behavior.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Uchiha?!" She was practically telling the whole world. Everyone around them stopped to stare at all the commotion. He got defensive and blurted something without thinking.

"It's just a tree."

She looked like he just said the nastiest thing in the world

Lesson number two: Shut the hell up.

* * *

"Listen Sasuke, you don't just start carving things anywhere or on anything, okay? Even if it is pretty sweet (he hid a smirk at that) – you have absolutely no right to vandalize on public property!" She shouted.

"But-"

"But nothing! Ughh you just ruined this beautiful tree. It's been here for years! Years before we were even born, Sasuke!"

She looked genuinely upset and he felt like he had to lighten up the mood.

"But you have to admit that you like it even a little bit. You're blushing. And don't deny it." His smirk faltered when he saw her expression though.

He should have just kept his mouth shut.

Lesson number 3: Arrogance equals ass.

* * *

Finally, she seemed to have calmed down.

Good thing because he assumed she was going for his head.

Not that she could hurt him.

But still.

He sighed. "Since you didn't like the first thing I did, here's your bouquet." She actually smiled and took it from him carefully. He watched as she smelled it and finally noticed the note that rested between the flowers.

She got it and opened it with one hand.

_I love you…_

He swore her eyes were starting to water. He was taken by surprise when she hugged him, bouquet and all. And he hugged her back. Just the reaction he was hoping for.

"Thank you Sasuke." She whispered and he stepped back to fully see her face. He smirked. "Is that all you have to say? After everything I've been through?"

"You bastard!" She shouted, lightly punching him in the arm. It still hurt, although he'll never admit it. But she was laughing and he loved the sound of it. He loved her. And for once in his life, things were in place.

She slung her arms over his neck and smiled brightly at him. He couldn't help but stare at her face. "I love you." He said softly.

And before she could say exactly what he had, Sasuke pressed his lips to hers and everything just felt so _right._

"You know," she said in between his kisses, "minus the tree carving thing, this is the best and sweetest thing anyone's done for me. Even though it is kind of cliché…because you did it." He just pulled her closer.

"And that's all that matters."

Dimly, something registered at the back of his head and he made sure to remember it.

He was never, _never _going to ask those two blondes for advice again.

Because it could cost him his life.

And he figured he would be very, very capable on his own.

Besides, he finally had a girlfriend.

One he planned to be with forever.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hoped you guys love reading that. I'm getting rusty for not writing anything for so long. Sorry to everyone who's been waiting for updates to my other stories. Oh and those who've read, **Love or Chaos?, **I'm taking extremely long because frankly, I'm planning on changing the story line.

I had the ending and everything planned out before but right now, it just looks really cliché. So please bear with me while I make a whole new one. No, I'm not rewriting…simply changing the things I haven't exactly written down to detail yet. Suggestions are very much appreciated ;)

Thanks for all the support!

**- Gabbeh**


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